The Amazing Lefty Mudersbach

Lionsdsisbest · Postby **Lionsdsisbest** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 9:10 pm

One of the greatest pure drivers in the history of our sport was one Lefty Mudersbach. This dragster pilot was just unreal in his ability to outdrive faster cars. In my opinion his greatest car was the Chet Herbert owned twin chevy gas dragster. This car on many occasions would beat the Top Fuel cars. Most times it was done with superb lights and getting his car to hook up. In 1961 he pulled a first that will never be done again. At the Fuel & Gas Championships at the famous Famoso Drag Strip in Bakersfield Ca., he won Top Fuel on gas! This "unblown" dragster beat Jack Ewell in the final. Left ran a super 8.50 at around 180mph!! He beat a field of 75 plus cars.
Lefty was very tough to beat , he would give the nitro burners just fits in the toughest region of Top Fuel racing, So-Cal. He was especially tough at the "greatest drag strip of all time", Lions Drag Strip.
In that fine DVD made by Don Gillespie of Lions there is segment that had live TV by a local station. It shows Lefty Mudersbach and Jack Christman getting pushed started, then a great turn around sequense, both cars cackling and sounding so sweet. They come to the line together wacking the throttle, the starter goes over to each car to make sure they are ready. the starter goes to the line with both cars bringing the Rs up and in gorgeous and typical Lions magic off they go, priceless. Lefty Mudersbach was really a stout dragster driver.
The last person I saw who was like Lefty was one of my all time favorites who we lost at Indy in 1996, the late great Blaine Johnson.
I salute the great lefty Mudersbach, a drag racing legend of the 60s.

Lionsdsisbaest

Rapid Randy Baker · Postby **Rapid Randy Baker** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 12:27 am

Great story!!!

YouTube · Postby **draglist** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:05 pm

Front page news on draglist! bp

jim sanders · Postby **jim sanders** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 1:25 pm

no doubt about it.. front page

WildcatOne · Postby **WildcatOne** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 4:49 pm

http://www.twotogo.homestead.com/LeftyChet.html

Rapid Randy Baker · Postby **Rapid Randy Baker** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 9:17 pm

Very Cool!!

racersforcoffee · Postby **racersforcoffee** » Tue Nov 28, 2006 9:51 am

As Dr. Robert Post expressed in the book High Performance, Lefty was, along with Garlits, the first real media celeb..such organic talent

"A Wizard, a True Star"
-Todd Rundgrun

Lionsdsisbest · Postby **Lionsdsisbest** » Wed Nov 29, 2006 7:24 pm

If they had reaction times now ole Lefty would have been the king of R/Ts. Probably the best at the time. And he was wildly popular especially at the greatest strip of all time, Lions.

Lionsdsisbest

BobK49 · Postby **BobK49** » Sun Dec 03, 2006 8:53 pm

Never met or saw Lefty, but he was legendary. And he had one of the coolest names in drag racing. So did Gabby Bleeker.

The Amazing Lefty Mudersbach

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